The number 7 in many cultures is a sacred number (think of the 7 chakras) and is the number of divine and earthly harmony, of fate and transformation.  Water is associated with emotions, feelings, love, pleasure in life, matters pertaining to the unconscious, intuition and the inner planes, and the element of water.  The 7 of Cups can often reflect illusory options and dreams.  Sometimes these are genuine dreams which we can accomplish and choices we must make.  But at other times it symbolizes being so distracted by the options offered that we are unable to focus on any one choice and so become lost in fantasy.  

Sterling:  The imagination is focused; dreams are directed to reaching a particular destination; planning is not affected by mood; lightheartedness; spontaneity; the strong passionate nature is comfortably under control.

MacGregor & Vega:  Until you pick one of your alternatives and begin working with it, all your dreams and ideas remain just castles in the air.  Beneath your confusion and indecision lies and abundance of innovative energy waiting to be released. You derive a different type of spiritual nourishment from exploring each of the various paths of New Age philosophy.  Manifest your dreams by using creative visualization to focus on specific goals and bring the into physical reality.

I have been having a difficult time focusing on my dreams and ideas.  I am letting myself get so sidetracked by the situation with my in-laws that it's sucking all the energy out of me.  I don't have to let that happen.  I deserve to be able to pursue my dreams and try to make them come true.  And there are people out there who have offered advice, help and support in myriad ways.  What I need to do is be willing to accept it.  Having dreams is wonderful but if I never take any steps to manifest them then I do myself a disservice.

Just recently I was chatting with a friend about a wonderful idea to provide services and a place to go for the NYC Tarot community.  Can it work?  I have no idea but the fact of the matter is that if we never give it a shot we'll never know.  I want to establish myself as a professional Tarot card reader.  It may never need to be my primary source of income but I'd like to be able to make some side money on it.  The only way that will ever happen is if I take some steps to manifest it.  I feel like Bob the Builder shouting "I can do it". 

Of course knowing I can do something and actually believing it are two different things.  As vampire Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) tell vampire-slayer Peter Vincent when he hold up a crucifix in self-defense "You have to have faith for that to work on me Mr. Vincent".  I feel like that right now - I have to have faith in myself to be able to make this work.  How can I build up my faith in myself?  I'm not sure yet.  What I do know is that no one else can do it for me.  I have to take a deep breath and just dive into that huge scary place known as "faith".  I have to believe I can swim in the waters of my inner hope and dreams and not get side-tracked by false illusions or inner demons.  Faith can be quite a scary thing and very fragile and easily shaken.  Maybe I just have to take it a day at a time, like an exercise program.  I do a few exercises each day to increase my faith in myself.  As the muscle gets stronger then I can do a few more reps or add an additional exercise or two.  Before I know it I'll have the faith of a giant.  Just put one foot in front of the other and soon you'll be walking across the floor (I learned that from the Christmas movie Santa Claus is Coming to Town).